Can’t Say That! Review

The Good

Easy to play. Games move very quickly. A fun challenge if you have the right partner.

The Bad

Bare presentation. The premise can get tiring if your opponent isn’t good with words.

Can’t Say That! joins Draw Something and Words With Friends as another “inspired” game that does good by the original.

We all censor ourselves in certain kinds of company. For instance, we typically don’t allow ourselves to say words that start with “F” and end with “K” in front of our grandmothers, as “Firetruck” can actually be a pretty upsetting word under the right circumstances. But for the fun of it, why not challenge yourself to hold back on using certain words even when you’re alone? “Where’s the fun in that?” you might sneer. Well, it’s what you need to do if you want to play Can’t Say That! —and no matter how you feel about censoring yourself, it is a lot of fun to play.

If Draw Something is Win, Lose, or Draw for iOS, then Can’t Say That! is Taboo. You hook up with a random opponent (or find one via email or Facebook) and are given a choice of three words. You need to cook up a clue about your chosen word, but you’re limited to 24 characters, and certain descriptors are verboten. For instance, if your word is “dog,” you’re probably going to be disallowed to write down obvious clues like “bark,” or “wag.”

Your opponent is offered a mix of letters to spell the word with. He or she also has a certain amount of clues that will help nudge him or her in the right direction. When your opponent guesses correctly, it’s his or her turn to torment you with a vague description of some object or situation.

There are three challenge levels for each word: Easy (earn one coin if you win), Medium (earn two coins), and Hard (earn three coins). Coins can be used to purchase additional word packs and hints.

Like Draw Something,Can’t Say That! is incredibly simple to pick up and learn, even if you haven’t played two seconds of Taboo. The game moves extremely quickly, which is nice: you can challenge one opponent after another, and solving a word usually doesn’t take up more than twenty seconds of your time (because you’re a sharp little cookie, right?).

Granted, the presentation in Can’t Say That! is totally bare-bones. There are few sounds and pretty much no visual flash to speak of, aside from some nice, bright colors. You might find yourself getting a little weary of the premise after a while, though you’re more likely to have fun throwing inside jokes and references between yourself and some pals. If you play with a stranger, there’s no guarantee you’ll be paired up with someone who’s clever with words.

Either way, Can’t Say That! offers a free version that simply asks you to put up with some ads, so you have nothing to lose by giving it a try. Try it, then try coming up with your own review without using words like “Fun,” “Good,” or “Okay.” Hint: “Cromulent” is acceptable.